The Malfoy Case
by Sinful Angel1
Summary: Hermione is given a job that she may not be able to handle. She also finds Draco completely adorable and let's him move in with her. Yet will she be able to handle Draco at age four?
1. The Malfoy Case chapter one

Disclaimer: There once was a girl, who lived far far away from England, she in fact was on the other side of the world in Australia. She had nothing to do with Harry Potter she may use the characters and all that in J.k's books but don't sue her, because she is poor and her father would kill her if you did. Also she may use lines in her story that are from movies, book etc. But that's because she can't think of any really creative lines herself, because she is an Australian. Anyway enough of this b.s read my story or don't, review or don't. Do what you want I don't care I am just happy I posted the damn thing. -Disclaimer from the Author.  
  
Suicide and Secrets Chapter One  
  
Hermione Granger starred at herself in the mirror. The past two years after Hogwarts hadn't been kind to her, also having the job of an Auror added to the state her body was in. She completed her Auror training after just six months, compared to the year others were required, but because of her rank of number one student at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, leaving it with the third highest grades ever achieved by a student and also her assistance to Harry Potter over his school career in defeating countless enemies of the Ministry, she didn't need as much training as the others did. She looked at herself in the mirror, her frizzy hair a little tamer thanks to the use of a few spells. Of course she didn't use it for a beauty enhancement, more for keeping it from getting in the way of paper work, and chasing down the occasional Death Eater. Though most Death Eaters were captured, killed or simply disappeared after the defeat of the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord was killed by one of her best friends Harry Potter, who was willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good, in doing so rather then dying he lie asleep in a coma that has lasted two years.  
  
She wished greatly for him to wake up, give a dopey grin and laugh knowing that the world was a better place because of him, knowing that the people of the world waited years for him to wake and give him the ranking of their savior their hero. Yet she didn't know if that would ever happen, he lie in his room in the number one magical hospital for Auror's. His room was filled with flowers, cards and gifts given to him by the forever-grateful public. She wished he would wake up and see his name in the paper every day, and in more recent textbooks about the Dark Lord's down fall. No one was quite sure exactly what happened that night between Harry Potter and Voldemort, just that they found the Dark Lord's body which was destroyed by strong magic so he never may return, and next to the body was Harry's not dead but resting from a nights work of defeating perhaps the worlds greatest evil.  
  
She sighed looked into her face, tired and lifeless from chasing down remaining Death Eater's, yet only one Death Eater would remain in her thoughts, she remembered the faces and cases of all the Death Eater's she captured, but the most vivid memory was of Draco Malfoy. She always saw him as pure-evil, not the confused child he was taught that there was no wrong, there were no rights, taught to hate everything and anything Muggle. She now had a pity and an understanding, yet he still went to Azkaban sent there by his own father who gave in his own son in order to save himself. Yet it didn't save himself, the Malfoy name was forever shamed, the only two remaining people with Malfoy blood in their veins were Lucius Malfoy and his son Draco. Draco's mother, Narcissa went into a deep self-pity, and self-hatred killed Lucius after he imprisoned her child. She wasn't sent to Azkaban, she was sent to St Margo's because of the mentally fragile state she was in at the time. She pitied Draco's mother, a lady who had potential in life, yet like her son was born into a Wizarding family that taught her hatred, gave her no love, and then she was put into a marriage all the same as her family was.  
  
The Malfoy family fortune was all that remained, Lucius Malfoy destroyed the family manner, including all possessions in order for the Ministry to find no more damming evidence against him. Then the very next day, to save himself from the fate of a lifetime imprisonment in Azkaban, he sent his own child there. This must have been the last straw for Narcissa and she was driven over the edge and killed her husband, for which she was sent to St. Margo's for a few years.  
  
Hermione couldn't help but wonder each night what must have gone on in that home, the home of the Malfoy's whether the Daily Prophet's story of a family power-hungry and ruled by greed was doomed from the start, and destroyed themselves leaving a shattered memory of what could have been the greatest pure-blooded Wizarding family of their time. Yet all they left behind were the ashes of a once great house, the fragile woman Narcissa wedded into the family which only brought her despair, and the son the only person left alive with the Malfoy blood flowing threw his veins, sentenced for a lifetime in Azkaban.  
  
The charges seemed simple enough, he fought against the Ministry in the final battle, and he assaulted many Muggles yet these things were small compared to the final crime he committed, the murder of Albus Dumbledore. Although he pleaded innocence, he was still convicted. The only evidence was his father's word against his, and because his father didn't have any witness's to the crimes that Hermione was sure he committed also because of the fact his father had powerful allies in the Ministry it got Malfoy locked away in Azkaban for a lifetime. The only words Malfoy ever said was he was innocent, Hermione was more then sure there was some other dark secret behind it all, something so terrible that his own father put him in Azkaban to keep his mouth shut, the secret that drove the mother to insanity and Lucius to his death. But what was this secret? Hermione knew it was big, and Hermione had a hunch it existed. But finding and proving it was another thing.  
  
She sighed and decided that going take the offer of having a dinner with the Weasley's was the only thing that could cheer her up. She stood outside their home in a matter of minutes; she was wearing a nice dress robe that was required on this occasion, to celebrate Harry's defeat of the Dark Lord. It was a day of rejoicing a day every Wizard and Witch celebrated. The Weasley children's fortune the former rut was turned into a welcoming site, renovated Magically it become like a small palace. A haven, that Hermione enjoyed visiting not only because just looking at it made her feel better, but also because the people inside made her forget her troubles for the few hours she was with them during. She saw Ginny Weasley running her way, her red hair blowing in the wind, a smile on her face. Ginny wanted to be an Auror but Ron, the always over-protective brother wouldn't hear of it, nether would any of the family not wanting to lose the only female child of the family. Instead they told her to think about it, in the meantime she was assistant to her older brother Percy who was now becoming a very essential part of the Ministry, still wanting to be the Minister of Magic he took on too much work and tried to do everything to his best. So Ginny was willing to help her brother, yet she yearned to be an Auror. She went in with Ginny to see the smiling faces of Molly, still a happy housewife yet now with not as much work to do. Because of Hermione's constant crusade against the owning House Elves instead, Molly hired them, they now had the money to do that because of Fred and Georges extremely successful joke shop, and their other son Percy's well paid job at the Ministry, of course Bill and Charlie gave what they could, and so did Ron. Arthur Weasley got paid a lot after retiring yet he still liked to tinker with Muggle objects, which was the grief of Molly because he left them around the house.  
  
As they sat down, Hermione noticed Collin Creevy sitting next to Ginny; they had become friends because of their mutual hero-worshipping of Harry. Collin seemed to always also have a slight interest in Ginny but would never do anything about it, because he was more then sure she was more interested in Harry. Though nothing ever happened between them, Harry and Ginny that is, Ginny still had a child-like crush on Harry. She also smiled over towards Neville Longbottom a friend of Ron's and hers who was now owned a very successful Herbology store. She smiled and laughed, heard stories and jokes as the dinner went on. She left a cheerful conversation to go and help Ron with the dishes, they used to date but job as an Auror seemed to get in the way, also Hermione who did love Ron didn't want to destroy their friendship, Ron felt the same way and also grew an interest in someone else, his Auror partner. They played the cat-and-mouse game that Hermione and he used to.  
  
"You should really get over him by now." Ron said magically washing the dishes. Hermione picked one up and looked at him, he found out about her thoughts on Draco when they were going out last year, when she worked on the case and grew a strange interest in him, it drove Ron mad.  
  
"It's just-some thing's they don't add up."  
  
"Oh, here we go again. You are always the perfectionist. Things don't have to be all tied up and neat in a little package, just let it go." Ron said in a sighing manner.  
  
"Well every other of my cases are all perfect why not this one?"  
  
"Because it's a Malfoy case, they're not known as being a simple family. Though I am more then sure that the git Draco was simple at times." Hermione smiled, he never did get over his hatred of Draco, yet everyone seemed to have a little pity for him after they found out about his hidden life outside of Hogwarts. "Anyway what doesn't make sense, the father would rather have his son is Azkaban than himself, also they never were the type I would consider close."  
  
"Well how could they be? Draco was forever trying to get his attention, respect and love. And all he got was the ultimate slap in the face! Constantly down trodden for not being the best, all his flaws enlarged in his eyes, raised to hate, not being allowed to be friends with anyone his father didn't approve of! His father did everything for him, he didn't have anything except the insults he gave us!" Ron looked a little stunned, but he should expect it. Hermione was a special Auror who handled children involved in the cases, as well as the adult Death Eater's. She was never much of the mothering type, yet she had this odd understanding of them and always tended to gain the respect of the children.  
  
"I'm sorry, I was just joking. C'mon Herm. I feel sorry for the bastard too, but don't forget he did kill a man, and no matter how crappy a child hood he had, there is no excuse for that." She looked at him, her temper subdued.  
  
"That's the thing, I don't think he did kill him. There were three people there that night, Dumbledore, Draco and Lucius. Why couldn't Lucius be the murderer?"  
  
"What and Draco actually covered up for his father, like I said their was no love there. Only fear and resentment, why would Draco cover up for him if his father was as cruel as you say."  
  
"Because maybe, maybe he thought that it would be worth going to Azkaban if he had his father's love."  
  
"Yeah, well he did plead innocent."  
  
"Yet, he never said who the killer was. Because he couldn't-wouldn't tell on his father."  
  
"To be honest I always thought Draco was a bastard, but never thought that he would actually kill anyone, let alone Dumbledore, he didn't like the guy but I never thought Draco strong enough." Hermione looked at him.  
  
"That's right. He wasn't strong enough, yet Lucius was." Hermione eyes brightened.  
  
"Oh come on Hermione, how could we know, the case it closed Lucius is dead, no one other then the Narcissa and Draco know and their both crazy by now! Anyway why would Lucius want to kill Dumbledore?" "That's what I am going to find out Ron." She smiled and went to the dinning room said goodbye and left.  
  
"Ron, got Hermione running away again have you." Fred joked.  
  
"No worse, I gave her an idea."  
  
The next day Hermione went straight to her superior and asked if she could re-open her case. "Please, sir. All my other cases are complete, I have finished all my paperwork and I don't have any other assignments to do."  
  
"Alright, I'll give you one, you can do my paperwork. Look I am not re- opening the case; it would cause too much controversy. If the Daily Prophet got a hold of it-especially that Rita, how about this I will open the case, when she retires!" He smirked and stood up, thinking he had won.  
  
"But sir, there are other possibilities and it's my job to eliminate them all!"  
  
"Well maybe I'll give you a new job then! I am not re-opening the case! You know that photographer for the Daily Prophet, Collin whatever his name is. If he finds out, by you telling your friend Ginny then they'll get it and there we have it-front page news and public out-cry and panic! Plus I have no doubt in my mind he is a murderer!"  
  
"But sir-please. Look, just let me do this and I swear I'll take that break you recommended."  
  
"No-no-no!" Hermione gave up and stormed out of her office and straight home. She looked at her home, a small Terrace in London. It was in a pretty good neighborhood and the Terrace's near here's were tidy, the whole street was except she never had time to look after her garden, or give the house the spruce it needed to be like the others. She was just too busy. She went inside, her house seemed depressing on the inside it's paint peeling, furniture was fairly old. This was her parents' home they gave it to her after the moved to the countryside. It seemed like they needed the fresh air, maybe she did too. Maybe she should visit them, take the break her boss had offered since the Malfoy case that nearly drove her over the edge. Yet she asked for the case, and she got it too, along with it's many mysteries.  
  
She went to her bathroom and took a long bath; she suddenly got drowsy and fell asleep. She woke up to the sound of ringing, she quickly got out wrapped herself in a towel and ran to the phone. "H-hello?" She asked a little out of breath.  
  
"Hermione? I've rung you twice already-you didn't pick up. Is everything alright?"  
  
"Oh-sorry. I was busy. What's wrong?" There was a little silence before her superior, Carlo Rio replied.  
  
"You know how you wanted to re-open the Malfoy case. I am going to let you."  
  
"Really that's great what changed your mind?"  
  
"Draco Malfoy, escaped from Azkaban. Or well was taken by some unknown person, or creature I am not sure of details yet."  
  
"Oh Merlin! Are they chasing after him?"  
  
"No that's the thing, he came straight to us, we didn't need to do anything."  
  
"Really, then why am I re-opening the case?"  
  
"Because, Draco as we know him didn't come in the office."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, someone or maybe he has, transformed himself somehow into a child. Or that's what the kid is telling us."  
  
"Are you sure it's him?"  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"For one, he came in here demanding to alert the Auror's someone kidnapped him and he wasn't happy about it. Two he has a birth mark on his stomach, the same one Draco has."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"Because, I looked into his report." Hermione stood there unable to breathe, what was going on she needed time to understand this all. Draco Malfoy was taken from Azkaban by the same thing or person that turned him into a kid, or did this person help him escape and turned him into a kid so he wouldn't get caught. If so why would anyone let him get away and go to the police? "Look we didn't tell him anything but he is going nuts, he is demanding to see his mother and father. What do we do?"  
  
"I'll be right there." She said. Little did she know, this pint size version of Draco was going to be more then she could handle.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione walked into Carlo's office to see Draco had made a complete mess of it, papers files everywhere. He threw the largest temper tantrum Hermione had ever seen. "Who knows about this?"  
  
"Only the Auror that brought him to me and you. I trust the Auror. But I don't know what to do; I can't take him anywhere because someone might find out. I can't take him to my house because he won't even let him go near him without trying to bite me. Please. Help."  
  
"Alright. Look give me a few hours in here. Go do some paper work or something."  
  
"Your right. I have to cover this up before anyone else finds out, and have to inform the Minister. I better be quick." He took his short stubby bulk out the door quicker then Hermione ever saw him move.  
  
"That's no way for a Malfoy to act!"  
  
"How would you know!" He said sticking out his tongue.  
  
"Well what if your father heard about this. Do you think he would be proud? I don't think so. He might just find out too." She got him, his little gray eyes had the look of fear in the his tongue went back in and his mouth hung open showing baby teeth, his button nose went straight and he looked very frightened.  
  
"Plea-Please don't tell my father!"  
  
"Alright I won't. But first help me clean all this up so he doesn't find out. I'll make sure my friends don't tell if you help me." He nodded and got straight to work, it took a lot longer then it was to destroy the office then to restore it.  
  
"There we go now we're done." She smiled. "So Draco tell me about yourself." He looked at her with a glow in his eyes that is only seen in little kids, she would guess he was about four.  
  
"I am Draco Malfoy. I live at Malfoy Manner with my father and mother. Can I see my mother now, please."  
  
"First tell me how you got here."  
  
"I told you!" He said slamming his hands on the desk for emphasis. "I was kidnapped!"  
  
"How do you know that?" He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Because last night I went to bed in my home, when I woke up I was in someone else's home, so I came here. This is where my father told me to come if I ever got in trouble." He looked at her a little angry.  
  
"Well let me see. Maybe I better owl them." She wrote on a piece of parchment to Carlo telling him to write nothing back and send the owl back. The owl went out the window and came back in a few minutes.  
  
"Owls aren't that fast!"  
  
"Well this one is!" Hermione said she opened the paper that had her message on it and read it. "Well, it says that your mother and father had to go on vacation for a while. They said they took you to the baby sitters but they didn't know you left. So I will have to find somewhere for you to go." He looked at her and then the letter, a little sad.  
  
"Well mother did say she might not be with me tomorrow. But I thought that's because father wouldn't let her."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"When I have been bad, I am not allowed to see my mother or father. I am locked in my room, the only person who comes in is Dobby and that is to feed me. I am not allowed out until I learn a new spell or potion." Hermione looked a little shocked at this form of punishment. "I get hit too, and yelled at."  
  
"What does your father say?"  
  
"Just things."  
  
"What things."  
  
"You know, like how I'm dumb, how he doesn't love me. The things he always says."  
  
"Why did you get in trouble."  
  
"Because, I spilt my drink. Dobby poured me a new one and I said thank you to him" She looked at him, he actually thought that was a big mistake; he was almost ashamed of it.  
  
"Don't worry it happens." He opened up very quickly to her, most young children do yet she couldn't help but wonder when Draco started to become so closed off like the way she knew him. He never spoke much to anyone, Crabbe and Goyle were too dumb, Pansy well Pansy was Pansy he didn't have many other friends.  
  
"So..where am I going? Back to the manner?"  
  
"No, nobody is there."  
  
"So. A lot of the time I am alone anyway. It doesn't matter. My father says it is okay he says I have to learn to look after myself, you know because Malfoy's have to." He said he looked at her oddly.  
  
"No. I think you will have to stay with me."  
  
"You! But I don't know you! Why can't we go to the manner to my home!"  
  
"Because."  
  
"Because I said so!"  
  
"That's a dumb reason! Your dumb, your like a Mudblood!" He looked at her angrily and here she was thinking they could be friends, maybe he didn't open up as much as she thought.  
  
"I am a Mudblood."  
  
"Then my father wouldn't leave me with the likes of you!"  
  
"Yeah, well he did! So deal with it!" She poked out her tongue at him. He looked a little shocked then regained his scowl. She ended up having to drag him to her home with him screaming and crying and carrying on. When she got him to her house at last, he reluctantly went in. The next problem was feeding him.  
  
"I'm hungry!"  
  
"Well food is right in front of you."  
  
"I'm not eating this!"  
  
"Well don't eat!"  
  
"I won't!" He just sat there watching Hermione eat, he glared at his own food then around her house. "Your house is dumb. Why do you live in a house like this anyway."  
  
"Because I do."  
  
"Yeah well it sucks. Why don't you get your elves to fix it."  
  
"I don't have any I don't think they should be slaves."  
  
"They're not! It's what they do!" He said and crossed his arms again.  
  
"Well now it's time for a bath." She took him to the bathroom, then he spun around on his heal.  
  
"I can wash myself you know!" He walked in there then came back out. "How do you use it? It's Muggle!" She showed him how to use everything then he nodded. She showed him how to rap himself in a towel then she left. She was barely out the door then she heard him screaming. She ran back in and he was crying. "My eyes! My eyes! They sting!" She wiped them and he stopped crying then she began the wash his back and that. He got very relaxed then he grabbed the towel and ordered her out. He stayed in there for about an hour, until she heard him yell, "Where are my clothes!"  
  
She forgot all about them she went to her old bedroom and couldn't find anything, so she got one of her shirts. "Here you go." She said handing it threw the door.  
  
"What's this! These aren't bed robes!" He screamed.  
  
"No there new ones, brought from Europe." He stuck his head out and gave her a disbelieving look. "Your father sent them to me from his vacation." He nodded his head and took them he came out with a large shirt; Hermione couldn't help but smile at his cuteness.  
  
"Well do you want to go to bed now?" "I say when I want to go to bed, not you!"  
  
"Alright then do you want to go to bed?"  
  
"Yes, now where is my room." She showed him to her old bedroom, it was a little dusty; he looked at it in distaste. "This is a girls room!" He yelled looking frightened.  
  
"So. Just sleep here for tonight I'll fix it tomorrow." He gave her a growl, but he was too tired to complain, she went to go help him get in.  
  
"I can do it myself!"  
  
"Yeah, just like you can bath yourself!" She helped him in then left. "Thank you Merlin." She sighed and headed to her room then the phone rang. "Hello?"  
  
"Hermione? Is that you? Good. Look we are going to have to do an investigation, but we need you to look after little Draco until we can figure out exactly what happened, and make a counter spell. It may take a while, are you willing just a little while longer. Please I can't ask anyone else."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Good. Well don't worry about work for the next few days, his your job just look after him all right. Practice for motherhood!" He laughed.  
  
"Alright. Well at the moment he is turning me off kids." He laughed again.  
  
"Well thank you bye. We'll try our best. Don't let him find out anything, he wouldn't understand, who knows what would happen."  
  
"Alright goodnight Carlo." She hang up the phone and lay on her bed when she heard a loud crash.  
  
"What was that!" She jumped up to see Draco run to her doorway.  
  
"The bed broke."  
  
"How?" He shrugged. "Alright come in here."  
  
"With you!"  
  
"Well where else can you go?" He looked at her strangely. "We'll get you a new bed tomorrow." He nodded then jumped in.  
  
"Well as long as you stick to your side of the bed." With that she turned out the light for a good nights sleep. 


	2. The Malfoy Case chapter two

Suicide and Secrets Chapter Two She woke up the next morning to find little Draco clinging to her. She pried him off her and turned the television on, nothing interesting. So she went to have a bath she got some fresh clean clothes and got rid of the robe she was wearing and got out some Muggle clothes. She had a quick shower and got out and dressed she quickly went back into her room to check on Draco, he wasn't there. She began to panic and searched her house to find him in her lounge room looking at the television.  
  
"What in Merlin's name is this?" He said looking at it.  
  
"A television."  
  
"A what? How does it work?"  
  
"I am not sure. But I know someone who does know, we'll go see him later alright." He kept starring at it. "Don't go to close."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You'll get square eyes!" She said, he looked at the television then ran away crying and screaming. "Oh Merlin." She sighed and went to calm him down, she couldn't explain to him how it worked or that what she said wasn't true, so instead she made him breakfast. He was so hungry he didn't care that it was Muggle he just began eating and kept asking how everything works.  
  
"Well, look I am going to get you some clothes now come on let's go."  
  
"I can't go out in my night robes!" He yelled.  
  
"Fine, alright look..how about we put your robes on from yesterday? Alright?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Well go out naked then." He actually thought she was serious for a second then he calmed down and went to put on his robe.  
  
She put him in the car with a little persistence. "Why are we using this?"  
  
"Because we are going to a Muggle not Magical clothing store."  
  
"I am not wearing Muggle clothes!"  
  
"Well your going to have to because you can't get robes around Muggles."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because, otherwise they might attack you and burn you at the stake for being a wizard." Seeing the expression of fear on his face she added, "I'm only kidding. Its just otherwise Muggle's might find out about us and we live in a Muggle neighborhood." He nodded.  
  
"Why can't I go home now?"  
  
"Because no one is there."  
  
"So."  
  
"I also don't have the key to get in there. And no one not even the elves are there."  
  
"Oh, my father didn't give you the key because your Mudblood right?" She just nodded and he looked at the car. "It won't make my eyes square as well would it?"  
  
"No. It's fine now get in." For the whole drive there he kept playing with things in the car, taking off his seat belt and making Hermione drive like a lunatic across the wrong side of the road when he knocked the wheel. Then he did it, he turned on the radio.  
  
He screamed. "Oh no! You got fairies in your box!"  
  
"No, it's a radio. I'll explain later, just listen to the music."  
  
"But it's Muggle!"  
  
"So?" He sat there trying to block his ears, but Hermione could tell he actually could hear and he was enjoying it too.  
  
Finally the reached K-Mart. It wasn't very crowded but the people who were there gave Draco strange looks, Draco remembering what Hermione said before as a joke, stayed close to her. She showed him Muggle clothes and he looked at them weird. Then he ran up to the girl's section and saw a blue dress. "What about this robe-like thing." Hermione smiled.  
  
"Not your color, not for boys. C'mon." He looked back at it and then at her and ran threw the boys section. He kept asking questions like 'Why would people wear this, where would they do in this, how do they make this.' He was driving her crazy but in the end she brought Draco four shirts, three pairs of pants, socks, jumper, underwear and shoes. She was done; she sighed and went to go pay for them. Draco refused to take off one of the tops that said 'born to be bad' so she had to take it out with them, and pay for it at the counter.  
  
"Born to be bad, huh?" The lady smiled. He looked at her and gave and evil grin and a nod.  
  
"Oh you don't know how true that statement is." Hermione said as Draco began fidgeting at her side. She then decided to take him to the park.  
  
"I can't go there!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"There are Muggles!"  
  
"So? You were just at a store with them."  
  
"Yeah but I didn't have to play with them or anything."  
  
"Well why can't you?"  
  
"Because-you know my father. He doesn't like me mixing with things like them."  
  
"What do you mean like them?"  
  
"You know-not magical" He whispered. She laughed a little.  
  
"Well he isn't here. And I won't tell him you wore Muggle clothes or anything just go have fun." He nodded and run off actually excited to play.  
  
He was playing on a swing and a bigger kid pushed him off, he didn't cry he just turned around and yelled, "You're lucky I don't have a wand or I'd hex you."  
  
"Really?" The other kid said, Hermione felt like she should go in but he had to learn.  
  
"Yeah I'm a Wizard you know!" He poked out his tongue.  
  
"Really well I'm the King of England."  
  
"Really? You are?"  
  
"No! I was being sarcastic!" He looked a little confused then an older boy came up next to him.  
  
"Well I'm a Wizard too! We Wizards don't like King's so go away!" The boy poked his tongue out and left. She watched as the boy smiled at Draco and asked him to play tag with the others, after explaining the rules to Draco who got it pretty quick he actually began playing with them. He laughed and giggled and ran. Things Hermione never saw the Draco she knew do, he laughed not snickered evilly or make fun, he actually laughed and had fun. When all the other kids had left Draco came back and sat down next to Hermione on the bench.  
  
"You know what they weren't bad for Muggle's." He smiled and looked at her. "I might have to play with some more often when my father isn't around." She smiled. "Better then Crabbe and Goyle, man they can't ran of play that fast!" He laughed.  
  
"Well, we better get home now. It's getting dark." He sighed and went with her back to the car. He feel asleep in the car trip home, so Hermione carried him to bed. "So lucky, it seems I got to you before your father poisoned your mind to much."  
  
She put him down in her bed and closed the door then went to sleep on the coach. When she woke up the next morning Draco had figured out how to turn on the television and was watching it, he had played with everything in the house. She even heard the bath running. "Oh Merlin!" She whispered. She went around and saw that Draco had ransacked the house, turning on all the taps and pulling everything out in the kitchen, she saw water over flowing and watched as the food floated past. She went to the bathroom, each room was the same, water ruined everything in her house, he destroyed the fridge even by playing on the door because she found it in another room, and he even tried to hide it under her bed. She sighed.  
  
"Draco can you please come here." He came in all puppy-eyed. "What do you have to say about all this."  
  
"I am really-really sorry but I played with them, I tried to make breakfast."  
  
"I can see that has got to be the worlds largest cereal." She said looking at the kitchen. "Look, Draco you can't do anything like that." She had kept fairly calm, kept reminding herself that his parents were gone, yet she still wanted to kill him, she also found it hard to speak calmly. "You've broken everything."  
  
"I'm sorry." He said looking at her with tear filled eyes. "I was trying to make you breakfast." He said and then he looked at her again. 'Little bastard is playing games is he. Oh well looks like we're going shopping today.'  
  
"Alright well help me clean up." It took them a while to drain the house of all the water then turn of the taps and throw everything out. When they finally cleaned everything Hermione wondered how she was going to get all the furniture out of the house, that's when she knew she needed help. She needed a lot of people, and they had to be fairly strong, also good at keeping a secret. That's when it struck her, the twins! She sent them an owl with help written on it and they showed up in one hour.  
  
"Wow, Hermione you're not a very good decorator." Fred said looking around.  
  
"Didn't you hear, wet is the new fashion." George said looking at the carpet.  
  
"Look guys help please. I need to have everything moved out of here. There is no way any of this stuff is going to dry, some of it is completely soaked threw."  
  
"Well at least nothing electrical was on." Fred said looking around.  
  
"What happened?" George asked.  
  
"Oh, well this kid I am looking after he is magical and he 'played' with everything, while trying to make me breakfast." She sighed.  
  
"Really what kid?"  
  
"Me." Draco came away from behind Hermione, Fred and George just starred at him.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Draco, Draco Malfoy." They almost died with laughter. Hermione calmly explained to them what happened at that she needed confidentiality. She made sure Draco didn't hear by keeping him by the television.  
  
"Please don't treat him differently. He doesn't understand his not evil yet." She said. They took the new pretty well.  
  
"Oh, and he is such a cute baby." Fred cooed then he caved in with laughter.  
  
"Alright let's get to work."  
  
"By the way he doesn't know so..you know secret. Also don't tell Ron."  
  
"Oh we won't. We wouldn't want the little ankle bitter to be killed now would we George?"  
  
"Nah, we'll wait until they turn him back into an adult for that." They smiled. It took them most of the day to clear the house, it was funny watching Draco boss Fred and George how to get the coach out, but he wouldn't let them anywhere near the television. In the end all Hermione had were her clothes, Draco's clothes and the television, which Draco refused to give away.  
  
"Well what are you going to do about all that stuff?"  
  
"I've rung the council I'm going to have it all picked up and taken to the tip."  
  
"Well you can't sleep here tonight, Herm. Come with us, Mum would love to have you there, especially having little Draci." He said giving Draco a hard rub on the head.  
  
"Yeah, also we can tell him all about us Weasley's seeing how he doesn't know about us yet."  
  
"What are you talking about, Fred?" Draco asked looking up at him.  
  
"Oh you haven't heard? You see us Weasley's are kings, we live in a place far away." Draco looked at them and laughed.  
  
"Yeah right!" He said.  
  
"Seriously." Said George. "Ask Hermione." Draco looked up confused at Hermione.  
  
"Leave him alone you two. Well I guess I have no choice but to come over." She said, they got there via floo powder; Draco luckily didn't get hurt in the process.  
  
Hermione said that she was renovating her house and needed somewhere to stay for a few days. "Why of course you can stay here! Who is this little one?"  
  
"Oh this is a friend's kid."  
  
"Really what's your name young fella?" Arthur asked him. Hermione froze with fear; maybe this wasn't a good idea.  
  
"Draco, Draco Malfoy." They looked at him and laughed. Luckily they didn't notice the way he looked, or the sincerity. "What are they laughing at."  
  
"Oh, old people do that." Fred said.  
  
"Next they start eating little kids!" George said. Draco clung to Hermione and backed away from them.  
  
"Oh never mind dear, here let me fix you something to eat." Molly said walking off into the kitchen.  
  
"I know Draco, why don't you ask Mr.Weasley if he can show you how Muggle things work?" She watched as Draco and Arthur's eyes lit up. They spent the next few hours downstairs playing downstairs with Muggle objects while Hermione got everything ready with Molly upstairs.  
  
"Oh, he is a such a cutie. He is also a very good actor. A very believable Draco indeed." Hermione smiled. "Well you can have Ginny's room, seeing as she is out for a few days." Hermione relaxed at that. At least she didn't have to tell anyone else. "I only have Fred and George with me and Arthur for the next few days, so it's good you brought the kid to keep Arthur company." Hermione smiled again. "So he'll share a bed with you did you say?"  
  
"Yeah, you know he doesn't know this house."  
  
"I understand." The next few days were fairly quiet Draco learnt all about Muggle things, and yet his interest didn't seem to die, Molly was forever cooking and Fred and George were always tormenting poor Draco, they said it was revenge for Ron. That's when she worried when would the others come back, what if they visited. She decided she better start to fix her house soon.  
  
"Look today I am going to go shopping for new furniture, want to come Draco?"  
  
"No." He said. "I'll stay here with Arthur." With that his little head disappeared back downstairs. She was glad that Molly and Arthur didn't notice anything odd about him, though they never did know Draco very well so it helped. Also Molly was blinded by the fact of having another young kid in the house again, and Arthur loved to have someone interested in his 'findings' and 'fact's' about Muggle appliances, at least Draco could now use a toaster properly.  
  
Hermione left and was walking down looking at furniture when she spotted Ron, she was going to go over to say hello but saw he was with someone, April, his partner and by the looks of things he didn't want to be disturbed. He watched them smooching and managed to make it past. 'Oh well, at least he didn't play the cat and mouse game much longer.'  
  
She ordered her furniture to arrive to her house in two days time enough time for her to paint her house. She rather paint it Muggley, she didn't want to abuse her magic. So she brought a few cans of paint and left to go get started painting her house, she didn't know why but she was filled with enough energy to do the job. She managed to finish the job late that night, but thinking it was too late to go back to the Weasley's she just went to sleep in her pant smelling house. She started to wish she left it for airing because the wet carpet smell didn't help much.  
  
The next morning she went back to the Weasley's, she returned to go to the kitchen and see Arthur and on his lap a sleeping Draco. Arthur woke up and looked at her. "Thank Merlin you're here! He was crying, he was so worried, he tried to stay up and wait for you but he couldn't." He whispered. "I told him you'd be back but he refused to listen, he said Death Eater's killed people like you, he knew because his father does." He looked at Hermione worried. She couldn't lie to them anymore. They'd been so nice to her, so nice to him. But she couldn't, her duty prevented her, also her not wanting to see this Draco harmed he was innocent. But she ended up telling Molly and Arthur anyway, in the end they just looked at her in shock. Molly walked away and closed the door to her bedroom.  
  
"Please don't treat him any differently, he doesn't understand, it's not him he didn't kill Albus not yet."  
  
Arthur looked at Draco, confused and upset. "You let me love a murderer how could you?"  
  
"But-his not I swear." Arthur just stood up and walked away. Hermione couldn't help but cry, she went and had to pry Draco away from the downstairs door.  
  
"No, I want to stay! Arthur! Arthur!" He started crying she took him the twins watched them leave.  
  
"Poor kid, cheer up we'll see you another day trust me." He said.  
  
"Good-bye Arthur!" He cried, and then they left. Hermione began airing the house and put the suitcases down and began weeding the garden with frustration, at her and others. 'How dare he called Draco a murderer. How dare he, it's no fair this Draco is innocent. Why should he be punished for crime he didn't commit.' She watched as Draco sadly sat on the steps. "Why didn't they say good-bye?" He said more to himself then to Hermione.  
  
"Don't worry, they were just busy. That's all." He nodded his head.  
  
"I thought they were different then my parents." With that he walked inside and in the house, Hermione furiously attacked her front garden until she realized she pulled every weed, and every plant out of her front garden. She went inside and found Draco in the back yard; it was a tiny yard with no plants just over-grown grass, Hermione watched as Draco used the manual lawn mower. She smiled at him, he saw her and called out, "Arthur taught me how to use it!" She turned away and couldn't bear to watch him, knowing that his father, someone whom he trusted, took his innocence away from him. She went to sleep when she woke up, she couldn't find Draco anywhere. She ran, she looked in the backyard, he had finished mowing the back and front, that's when she realized the whole street had been mowed. 'How long did I sleep?' She thought she followed the trail down to the other block where he was asking an old man if he could mow his lawn.  
  
"No thank you son." He said and went back in. Draco smiled when he saw Hermione and he went up to her.  
  
"Do you think my Dad will let me keep just this one Muggle thing? I got these for it." He showed her the few coins in his tiny fist.  
  
"Oh. Draco! You scared me half to death, I thought something happened to you! I would kill myself if anything ever happened to you!" She said grabbing a hold of him and holding him tight.  
  
"Don't worry. I'm fine. You can stop crying now." But Hermione couldn't, because she knew, that the Draco she knew was going away. She had to find a way out of it. The next day the furniture was delivered and Hermione set it up in her house, while wondering what to do with Draco, how she could stop him from turning back into an adult. That's when she thought of it, she would run away with him. So she packed their things and locked her house, and left not knowing if she would return. 


	3. The Malfoy Case chapter three

Suicide and Secret Chapter Three "Where are we going?" Draco asked trying to keep up with a pacing Hermione. She knew what she'd do, get a secret keeper, so that no one would ever find them and she could raise Draco as her own.  
  
"Look, I can't explain. Not now, maybe one day all right. How would you like to stay with me?"  
  
"I would like that, but what about my mother?"  
  
"Well. Your mother is sick very sick. So you can't see her again alright." Draco's eyes started to fill up with tears, then it started he started crying. "Please. Draco, don't cry. C'mon let's go." Draco started screaming and crying then suddenly, a man out of nowhere came threw and grabbed Draco. "No!" Hermione screamed trying to chase after him.  
  
"It's okay now, Miss I'm an Auror calm down."  
  
"Draco. What are you doing to him?" She cried, suddenly a Muggle crowd gathered around her, and then everything went black. Hermione woke hearing voices. "Argh.Uh, Draco. Draco!" Hermione cried trying to sit up, she looked around she was in an Auror hospital. She saw her boss sitting on the bed.  
  
"We found the man that helped him escape." Carlos said soothingly. "Well he actually forced Draco to escape, Draco was in shock he didn't understand at the time, the man released him and then gave him a potion that makes the person turn back into a young child depending how much Snivel Seed you put in it. He made it, so that he could take Draco out of the country and to safety without being caught, then he was going to turn Draco back into an adult when they got to safety with the reversal potion." Carlos looked as Hermione starred at him a little shocked.  
  
"We gave it to him, but now Draco is in a coma, we want to wait till he wakes question him, then send him back to Azkaban." He watched as her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry. The Minister of Magic sent Auror's to guard you, incase the man that set him free tried to get Draco off you again. They let you travel, but made sure where you were going, then they saw you planning to leave with the kid, so they-they had-to" Carlos himself started crying.  
  
"You were a threat Hermione. We know the Weasley couple and their twins know, who else have you told, we are going to interview everyone you met you better tell, me-please they might take away your Auror's license." Hermione sighed. She told him everything. He seemed a little relieved, "What you did was only an annoyance, we had to wipe a few Muggle memories, but other then that no major damage." 'How could he say that, there was major damage Hermione was never going to be able to repair some of the damage she had caused.'  
  
"Please let me stay on the case. Please."  
  
"I will pull a few strings. I will see. Hermione I will do this for you- only if you promise that you will take a holiday after this-please." She nodded he left. A few days later after Hermione rested enough in the eyes of Carlo she went back to the case. She was so grateful they let her back on the case. She started straight away with going for an interview with the man that took Draco out of Azkaban.  
  
"Look, please talk to me. This is an un-recorded interview, I can get you a lighter sentence if you would just please help me tell me what you know."  
  
"There is no lighter sentence for helping an escaped murderer." The man said with an angry growl added at the end. He was a large man, big built with a misshaped nose and dark hair.  
  
"So Draco why did you help him?"  
  
"Thought I'd get away with it didn't I?" He sneered. "Also I got paid."  
  
"By who?"  
  
"I told the other Auror's the same thing I'll tell you-nothing" Hermione kept trying to talk to him, but it didn't seem to work. So she simply got out and left, she went to go see Draco. He was lying there on the bed. A nurse was checking his pulse.  
  
"Excuse me, what's wrong with him?" She asked she watched as the nurse turn to look at her.  
  
"He just simply can't handle the memories, the conflict between the two separate memories, eventually one will take over. Or.." She looked into Hermione concerned eyes. "Or he may never wake and forever be trapped in an eternal slumber until his body gives in." Hermione felt her eyes prick with tears but she quickly wiped them away and regained composure.  
  
"Well what's the cure is their anything faster?"  
  
"Well-we could send someone inside his body, join his mind with someone else's but it means they would share memories, all their memories would merge, so sometimes it is hard to tell them apart, it can either cure them- or kill them." She said rather darkly and quickly walked away.  
  
"Wait-Miss-how can you join minds?"  
  
"By a potion!" Then she stalked off down the hall. Hermione went back to her office, to start another interview.  
  
"That's it!" She yelled at the man. "Tell me your name, and what you want with Draco-why did you help him!" She yelled.  
  
"My name-huh? How about Ben Dover." He laughed at his own joke, then Hermione grabbed her wand out his laughter cut short. "What are you doing with that?"  
  
"I have been given permission to torture you until you speak the truth." She said and advanced on him she pointed her wand at his chest.  
  
"No! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" He cried, "Please-just don't torture me!" She smiled.  
  
"Alright tell me."  
  
"Well-I have always boasted at my local tavern that I once got into Azkaban."  
  
"Did you?"  
  
"Yes. But I got caught-lucky I had a good lawyer and wasn't charged." "Why not?"  
  
"Because I was a kid. Anyway one day this guy comes up tells me about this Draco Malfoy, tells me he'd pay me to go free him turn him into a kid, take him out of the country and re-verse the spell back to an adult and leave."  
  
"Did he tell you where to go?"  
  
"No, I swear he didn't he just said get him out of England, go anywhere then he would take care of the rest." He gulped.  
  
"Good." She said. "I'll see what I can do about having the charged dropped."  
  
She walked out leaving a rather frightened man sitting down with wet pants. "Hermione, get anything out of him?"  
  
"Yes. An idea-we need to take Draco out of the country in order to find the person that paid the man to set him free-oh-before I forget can we have his charged dropped?"  
  
"Whose?"  
  
"The man, in the interview room."  
  
"Oh-sure, just let someone who broke into Azkaban out."  
  
"He gave us the information we needed, he is just an idiot putting him behind bars would be nothing."  
  
"Yeah well Draco won't even wake up-how are we supposed to take him out of the country-we can't his under strict surveillance as well. Auror's posted at his door."  
  
"If I wake him up-will you drop the charges and let me take him out of the country?" He laughed.  
  
"Sure I will."  
  
"You swear."  
  
"I swear."  
  
"Good." Hermione turned her tape recorder off and walked away.  
  
"You'll never wake him up you know."  
  
Later that day Hermione sat across from Neville in his little Herbology store. "I am losing a lot of work for you-what's the emergency?" Neville asked extremely worried.  
  
"I can prove Draco Malfoy is innocent of the murder of Albus Dumbledore." Neville looked a little shocked then he laughed.  
  
"I am sure you could Hermione. But why should I help him."  
  
"No, help me. To find the real killer and put him behind bars-Draco may be a vicious person but I can swear to you he never killed anyone."  
  
Neville looked at her and sighed. "Well as a favor to you, but I don't think you can prove it." He said, "What do you need?"  
  
"These ingredients. Can you get them?"  
  
"Sure no problem, come back tomorrow morning alright?"  
  
"Alright-thank you."  
  
"I think he is the killer but if it will ease your mind-what do you need this for anyway?"  
  
"Oh-you'll see trust me." She winked at him and left. She then started her research just like her Hogwarts days; she was at a library trying to find anything about a mind-joining potion. She found it but all it did was join their minds, nothing about what to do after you were in. Not enough people survived to tell the tale she thought. She decided she would just have to risk it, so she wrote down the procedure in which she needed to use the ingredients-she already remembered how the ingredients but how to use them was another thing-she made sure to copy it down carefully.  
  
"Back are you? Your ingredients are in then back." He said as he saw her rush past.  
  
"Good-thanks Neville." She quickly ran out the store and to her office where she began to mix the ingredients. It took her a few hours but finally she had finished the potion. She quickly went to the hospital but she couldn't visit without permission, last time she had Carlos's-but if she woke him up at this hour their was no way he would ever let her visit. Especially because he didn't want Draco waking up so she knew whom she had to call.  
  
"Fred, George I really need your help are you sure your up for this?"  
  
"Breaking into a hospital-to prove that your feministic hunch, that Draco Malfoy isn't a cold blooded killer, by going in to his mind and reading his memories-also putting his mind at rest, which by the way you don't know how to do yet-so that he can wake up and you can take him out of the country to find the man that helped him escape-who is also probably a Death Eater. Not to mention even if your right-and you see the memories you have to still prove his innocence with the only other witness to the murder being dead."  
  
"What Fred is trying to say, is that we could get arrested or killed. Of course we don't mind!" George said smiling.  
  
"Let me pack some things and we can go." Fred said putting a few things into a bag from the toy store he was in-making the last few late-night shoppers leave then close up.  
  
"Alright-you don't think any of those shoppers heard did you George?" Fred asked a little worried.  
  
"What that we are going to break into a hospital and try to set free a Death Eater who killed one of the most lovable Wizards of all time. No, I think they were all too smashed to realize."  
  
"Well at least remind me why we are doing this."  
  
"For the Draco you knew, the little boy lost inside the tough exterior." Hermione said looking at them pleadingly.  
  
"Alrighty then. I'm ready to roll let's go."  
  
Getting in seemed easy with Fred and George-they simply put this extra strong super-glue of their own invention to their shoes and walked up the wall of the hospital to Draco's window. They opened the window softly and went in. "That wasn't too hard, think anyone saw us?" Hermione asked.  
  
"It's twelve at night, we walked up to the top floor of a hospital wing for criminals-I was more worried one of them would see me open the window and drag me in to do Merlin knows what to me!"  
  
"I could have a guess." George said mischievously, "In other words though, Herm he was more worried about being violated then being seen."  
  
She smiled then she looked out the door quietly the Auror had gone to sleep, that gave them plenty of time. "Guy's look guard the door, make sure to get out if the Auror comes in, or warn me alright?"  
  
"Alright" They said in unison. Hermione drank the potion then put it in Draco's mouth and watched him swallow, she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed on the floor. She saw herself in what appeared to be a tunnel-a tunnel of memories. She saw all of Draco's early memories, where his memories of her were, and they were mixed with the memories he really had, as she kept going she saw his good, and some were bad really bad, he saw the pointless beatings and odd punishments, then she found it odd, she saw memories of his first sight of her. An odd sensation brushed over her, was it Draco's feelings? Or was it just her seeing herself threw his eyes made her feel creeped out. She felt nothing as she went along, this only joined the minds, so you could see memories not know what a person was feeling.  
  
Then she got to the end where she saw Draco sitting in the middle of a circular room, two things floating around him, one was the boy Hermione knew, the other was Draco's father both were yelling at him and Hermione couldn't understand Draco just sat there not knowing what to do. She walked threw his illusions and straight up to him, he looked her in the eye. "Draco?" She whispered, yet she couldn't feel her mouth moving.  
  
"Granger.." She heard a faint whisper yet she didn't see Draco's lips moving, must be from being in his mind.  
  
"Draco what's wrong, why can't you wake up." He looked at his father on one side then the little Draco on the other Hermione saw them screaming but couldn't hear them.  
  
"They want me to choose."  
  
"Choose what?" She asked.  
  
"A side, good or evil. Right or wrong."  
  
"Draco it can't be that hard."  
  
"But it is. Everyone on the good side hates me-you saw my memories of the way I was treated, I got respect on the evil side."  
  
"You also got betrayal, and imprisonment. Is that what you wanted? I saw you as a child-it wasn't your fault your father made you the way you were."  
  
"Really, well how are you sure I never wanted to be that way?"  
  
"Because I saw the inner child of you. Before your father poisoned your mind. Draco you could-can be more."  
  
"Everyone thinks I am a murderer. I saw your memories I know."  
  
"But Draco. You also saw how they treated the good you-which one would you rather have?" He just starred at her.  
  
"I don't know. How can you prove I'm innocent."  
  
"Trust me I can."  
  
"Trust-it's highly over rated."  
  
"Draco I know you had a bad life, everyone you ever trusted is dead, gone or threw your trust in your face. But trust me, I can prove it I won't give up on you Draco, I saw you memories of the murder-you were knocked out by something while talking to Dumbledore on what to do, you went to him on advice about what to do about your father ratting on you-you didn't go there to kill him Draco." He just looked at her.  
  
"Are you sure about that?"  
  
"Y-yes." She said. There was a bright light and then she was awake again, and she watched as Draco woke up too a little drowsy. "Quick let's get him out of here." Hermione said and picked Draco unplugged all the cords. She heard the door rattle and saw Fred and George holding it shut.  
  
"Alright well we'll hold the door open our bag and get out the rug." She did as she was told and took it out, that's when she realized it floated.  
  
"How did you do this?" She asked a little surprised.  
  
"Charmed now get Draco onto it and go out the window." She did as she was told and watched as Fred ran and George ran for the window and jumped threw, George hitting his head on the way out. It was quick and before Hermione knew it they were up in the clouds out of view and far away.  
  
After the excitement died down Hermione started remembering Draco's memories. She looked at him he starred at her; she now knew everything about him except how he felt. She had the memories but she didn't had the voices of the memories just the images, she mustn't have made the potion strong enough.  
  
"I know your memories too." He said looking at her strangely. They just sat there starring at each other, then it was broken.  
  
"So Hermione, where do you want to go?"  
  
"How about your house?"  
  
"Are you sure that's safe?"  
  
"We need to go to Percy though, or Ginny, so I can get permission."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"We just kidnapped a killer. I need to say I had permission from someone to do it."  
  
"Well why didn't you get it before?"  
  
"Well if I show up with Malfoy at his home, it's rather accusing, and he would have to agree that he gave permission otherwise he is in helping an escapee."  
  
"But he didn't." Fred said a little shocked.  
  
"But we can say he did." Smiled Hermione.  
  
"Look Draco, look what you did to our Hermione." George laughed, heading the carpet for the Weasley home. Draco was looking at Hermione, but she couldn't understand what he was thinking. His cold gray eyes pierced into hers then he blushed and turned away. Hermione felt a little unnerved, she never saw him blush before!  
  
The carpet just stopped out front the house and that's when Hermione saw Percy heading straight towards them. "What do you think by making us all worry about you then show up this early in the morning on a carpet now less, probably illegally used I may add. And.you show up with Hermione! You know Mum and Dad aren't too keen on seeing her around here anytime soon," Hermione felt slightly offended but it was understandable. "Oh Merlin! You have also got a convicted criminal after you, stand back!" Percy said holding his wand shakily.  
  
"No Percy!" Hermione cried jumping in front of Draco. "His innocent, I can prove it, just please sign this and I swear we'll leave you alone!" She said standing defensively in front of Draco.  
  
"Sign what! Innocent! Him! Hermione, I heard some things about you recently but this-I am going to call the Ministry his got you under his spell!" He went to turn but Fred and George stopped him.  
  
"No Percy! I believe Hermione, she is not crazy, sign the contract now!" Percy glared at them.  
  
"Or what?!" He boomed looking them dead in the eye.  
  
"Or we'll give the Daily Prophet an in depth account of your life, including baby photo's. Also tell them about other photo's you have in your room they would be interested in." Fred smiled.  
  
"You wouldn't dare!"  
  
"You know us-we would." They said in perfect unison making it slightly creepy.  
  
"Alright. But you better tell me what's going on, and I want you to never use this against me again if I sign this paper. What is it?"  
  
"It says that you granted me the custody of Draco. That you let me take him to a safer place, and conduct a search."  
  
"I don't have the power to do that." He said.  
  
"I know you do."  
  
"Well even if I did I need your superior's consent!"  
  
"Here." She threw him the tape of her conversation. "That's all you need listen to it, it's evidence." She said and looked at Draco, realizing that he was standing there in night robes not that thick.  
  
"Alright. Hermione, you can take the carpet. Percy sign the paper then come with us, we'll tell you the entire story." He nodded.  
  
"Wait Hermione, how do you use this?" He said holding the tape.  
  
"You father should know, don't tell him what it's about though." Draco said and Percy slowly nodded given Draco an odd look of suspicion.  
  
"Hermione pulled Draco back down onto the carpet and left with good-byes from Fred and George.  
  
"So how did he know our father knew how to use this."  
  
"Don't worry it will all be explained in due time." Fred said smiling at his brother. She watched them walk to the house until they were just specks.  
  
"Wait I don't know how to use it!" She gasped at the sudden realization.  
  
"Don't worry I do. Where do you want to go?" He asked her.  
  
"To the country, to a small town called Brighten. Can you go there?" He nodded and the carpet slowly flew into the direction of Brighten. "Draco, why did you blush before?"  
  
"Oh-uh-I saw one of your memories." He said going red again he looked at the ground, Hermione couldn't, she was petrified of heights and for this one person whom she didn't even like very much she had to go up in the sky three times. Once to go get him, and getting away from the hospital and now going to her parents country town, it was the only safe place at the moment.  
  
"Well-none of my memories are embarrassing to me, are they?" She asked looking at him a little worried.  
  
"No-more to Ron then you if anything." She gasped at the realization of what he meant, she too turned red. "Sometimes it is very lucky to be a virgin." He smiled. She gave him a look. "C'mon I never had a permanent girlfriend and I have been in Azkaban for a while don't forget." He said defensively. She nodded in understanding.  
  
"What was that, in your mind before?"  
  
"My torment. One side was the past you made for me, one that gave me-a strange feeling towards Muggles, sort of a liking. The other, was the past I had without you in it, it was my hate, my anger. But when they came together, along with everything I know at this present time, I had to make a choice."  
  
"Why didn't you instantly pick my-I mean the good side."  
  
"What do I have on your side? Both sides sucked but at least the dark side accepted me."  
  
"I accept you."  
  
"But only because you want to finish of your case. Admit it I saw your memories."  
  
"But you didn't hear what they said, or read my thoughts or feelings. I didn't make the potion strong enough. I do accept you, I understand what it's like."  
  
"What-what's like?"  
  
"To want your parents to pay more attention, to care, to say they love you."  
  
"Yeah well it's too late for me. No one will ever love me now. Everyone I know is dead or disappeared. Everyone I ever knew. Gone." He said almost mournfully.  
  
"You have me."  
  
"No I don't! You are just here because you pity the child me, I remember. I know Hermione, you wouldn't even think twice about helping me out if I was like I am now."  
  
"I am now aren't I?"  
  
"But only because of my child self. You never liked the other me."  
  
"Well maybe that's because you were being a bastard to me all the time!"  
  
"You are a Mudblood it's how I feel about them alright?"  
  
"Well that says it all doesn't it!" She said turning away from him so he didn't see the tears building.  
  
"Look, I don't know how I feel. You screwed it all up, but a lifetime of hate, next to a few days without it." He looked at her. "I am not too hopeful my hatred would ever go away."  
  
"Why are you telling me this?"  
  
"Because, you're the only one I can tell." She looked at him. "Besides I don't think I am going to live much longer and I wanted you to know these things." "Why?"  
  
"A thank you. For trying."  
  
"Trying what?"  
  
"Trying to save me." He then turned away and that's when she realized they were in Brighten. It was early dawn, not many people would have seen them, so she decided to make her way up to her parents little farm house.  
  
She watched Draco march gloomily a little behind her, she walked to the door, and realized it was open. Her parents never left the door open. She watched and that's when she saw her mother and father on the floor, dead. 


	4. The Malfoy Case chapter four

Suicide and Secrets Chapter Four "N-no." Hermione said she went to run in but Draco stopped her and looked around the room.  
  
"Don't go in, it's a trap." He said looking around, and then suddenly Hermione saw a figure appear at the end of the hall. Hermione tried to look closer, but the figure hid in the shadows. Hermione looked at her parents then the figure. A sudden anger flashed over Hermione, she broke free of Draco's hold and charged at the figure but she ran right threw it.  
  
"W-what is it?"  
  
"A shadow, now get out of the room! Now!" He yelled. Hermione suddenly felt very cold, and frightened. She took one last look at her parents, before she ran outside.  
  
"W-what's a shadow?" She said as she ran for the carpet. They leapt on and flew up, high into the sky.  
  
"We should be safe here." He said looking at her a little worried. "A shadow, it's a creature which drains people, that's what happened to your parents."  
  
"B-but I haven't heard of anything like that before." Hermione said trying to avoid looking down, or breaking down in tears.  
  
"You wouldn't. There is only one left; it's not quite a magical creature. It was a man once."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It is a black ghost, a shadow. The wizard it used to be probably had some unresolved problems. That made him a shadow-like ghost, some wizard must have conjured him and sent him to kill your parents."  
  
"Conjured? How? If they used a spell the Ministry should know."  
  
"It's not a spell, a potion was used, you put it on the body of the wizards whose soul you want to resurrect, if they have a ghost form, they will come to you. But you would have to be a very powerful wizard to sustain it."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"The shadow, it draws it's powers from the person who resurrected it. But it only takes enough to try and get a form; it drains its victims of their life-source. So it can get a form, and if it does-we're in serious trouble."  
  
"How do you know about all this?"  
  
"Because-it's a very old kind of dark magic, there are only two books in the world that have how to use the potion. One belonged to my father, but it was destroyed along with my home, the other is guarded at Hogwarts."  
  
"But-that means someone already in Hogwarts has it, and killed my parents." Draco nodded. "Well, we should go to the Ministry first."  
  
"Are you mad, Malfoy! Who knows what the Ministry would do to you!"  
  
"But they will put you in there too if you don't report your parents murder."  
  
"Alright."  
  
When they went there the office had just barely opened. Carlo was standing there at the door he didn't look very happy to see Hermione. "Get in my office, the pair of you now!" He whispered angrily.  
  
"Carlo, look we have to tell you something, it's my parents. They've been murdered."  
  
"Well add them to the list," He said looking at Draco to Hermione and back again. "All the Auror's involved in the case, and their families have been murdered too." Hermione felt a little taken back.  
  
"At the moment, the only people left alive knowing are us in this office, and the Minister of Magic. He has demanded it top priority classification. We can't risk any more murders."  
  
"W-what about the Weasley's?" Hermione asked feeling very afraid all of a sudden.  
  
"They've been put into hiding. The entire family, it took some encouragement to get Percy to go down. Their own Secret Keeper is unknown even to me, even to the Minister of Magic! That is how dangerous this case has become." He looked at Draco again. "There are some clothes in the next room, go put something on." He nodded and as he left Carlos closed the door. "Hermione my brother isn't happy about any of this at all. Ever since you began this case I had to ask him a lot of favors." Carol's brother was the Minister of Magic, Alexander Rio. "Hermione, I am going to have to put you in hiding until all this dies down."  
  
"B-but what about Malfoy?"  
  
"He will be sent back to Azkaban."  
  
"Sir you can't-not yet. I know who the murderer is!" He looked at her in shock.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"There in Hogwarts, they used a shadow."  
  
"A shadow? That is a myth, and no one can get into Hogwarts! Auror's have been sent to guard it ever since this Malfoy character escaped. He has it in for that school you know."  
  
"Carlos look, one of them must be the murderer. Give me their names, please."  
  
"I can't, it would then blow their cover."  
  
"Just tell me this, are they inside or outside the school?"  
  
"Uh-Hermione. Alright then, their outside and no one knows about them except the head master."  
  
"But can they get in?"  
  
"Only if necessary and Hermione please."  
  
"Look-ask your brother he'll tell you."  
  
"Hermione I am not asking my brother anything. All his best Auror's have died, your carpet has been seen, another thing to answer for, you took a prisoner without consent."  
  
"I have consent! Look!" She showed him the piece of paper.  
  
"Oh-alright. But still, Hermione this case has brought too many deaths we can't risk it anymore."  
  
"You aren't risking anything! Not a thing! If you let this case go, then those deaths will be in vein."  
  
"Alright, I won't drop the case. But if I don't see proof soon, I am going to drop the case. Have a small break, keep low profile, I'll let you take Malfoy, but only because I know he won't hurt you, but if he does, kill him. I'll take care of your parents bodies, you just do what you feel is necessary." She nodded then went to leave. "But Hermione what will you do if you find out Draco did murder Dumbledore?"  
  
Hermione couldn't answer his question so she left. She knew Draco was innocent, something she felt. Usually she wouldn't believe in feelings only facts. But this involved a Malfoy, so facts didn't help much, because facts could just be lies. Also she saw his memories, it was proof enough of his innocence for her.  
  
"Hermione! Wait! Please don't go by rug this time, can you take your car?"  
  
"Alright!" She called out and left, she saw Draco waiting by her desk.  
  
"Still so tidy." He said looking at her neat little desk.  
  
"Come on, we better leave before Carlos changes his mind." She didn't know where she was driving too; she just kept driving eventually she stopped the car and pulled over, memories were rushing threw her mind.  
  
"How did Carlos didn't ask me where my parents bodies were?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Draco asked getting worried.  
  
Hermione quickly turned the car around and headed to Brighten, and there it was Auror's taking her parents bodies, and Carlo telling them where to put them. "It was him."  
  
"What?" Draco asked looking at her strangely.  
  
"It was him, he killed my parents, and he killed the Auror's. He conjured the shadow." She said feeling a little strange.  
  
"Wait a minute, how did he get the book?"  
  
"I don't know. We are going to have to go to Hogwarts all right? Let's go."  
  
"You can't just go on a train to Hogwarts."  
  
"No, we will fly there."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"I know someone, who can help us." She said and turned the car around, heading for the Auror hospital. "Draco stay here. Don't move, don't draw attention just stay here." She quickly went inside, the nurse already knew her and let her straight into Harry's room. She looked at the gifts and everything surrounding him, she started to search for it. "Where is it? Ah! There it is!" She said grabbing Harry's old broom. She quickly ran back to her car when the nurse wasn't looking.  
  
"What's that?" Draco asked looking at it strangely.  
  
"Harry's broom, can you ride it?" She asked handing it to him.  
  
"Sure-why though?"  
  
"We're going to ride it to Hogwarts. Well to the Forbidden forest, but first I have to go back to my office." She got in the car and headed back.  
  
"Well it's locked so what are we going to do." She flashed him a bobby pin that was holding her hair in a tight plait. "You are going to break in, why not use a wand?"  
  
"Because, then the Ministry would know."  
  
"Well doesn't it have protection spells or something?"  
  
"Yes, against magic, not against Muggle break-ins." She beamed as the door opened she went in quickly and straight into Carlos office. She started searching the files. "Got it!" She whispered.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"The files on your case." She looked threw it. "This is strange, it has only got one update in it."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"The Auror's on guard of Hogwarts after your escape, nothing else. But it's the names that are strange, Jonathan McKenzie, Elle Kirk and Henry Justice. They're all retired, or resigned."  
  
"Granger-that's not all. They were all under trial for suspicion of being Death Eaters."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So I knew them, they are." Hermione looked at the paper.  
  
"Then why would Carlos send them there?" The realization suddenly hit her. "To get the book!"  
  
"Well then, we're going to have to go to Hogwarts." Hermione couldn't believe what she was doing, going back to Hogwarts. On Harry's broom, stolen broom. With her supposed mortal enemy Draco Malfoy. Not to mention since being on this case, she had to get over her fear of heights. Yet, she couldn't and clung to Draco tightly. "Do you mind letting me breath just a little." He asked.  
  
"Sorry, it's just I don't like heights." She said.  
  
"Well don't worry we're here, where do you want me to land."  
  
"Just, on the ground I don't care where." Hermione said squeezing him tighter as they flew down.  
  
"So what do you want to do now? Why did we come here?"  
  
"First before we let out suspicions get the better of us, we should make sure the book has actually been taken. Then we can decide what to do next, so do you know where it is?"  
  
"Yes, but I don't know if we will be able to make it."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It is in Professor Snapes' classroom."  
  
"Why would it be there?"  
  
"Dumbledore trusted Snape with it."  
  
"Why not another teacher?"  
  
"Because Snape is the person who brought it to Dumbledore for protection." She looked at Draco wide eyes. All these years here she was thinking him pure evil and he handed over something that could have given him absolute power.  
  
"How do you know all this?"  
  
"You have my memories, you should know."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Once, thanks to your friends Potter and Weasley, I was yet again sent to Dumbledores office, I heard them talking about it."  
  
"So do you know where in Snape's classroom it is?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So what were you planning to do? Just go up and ask him?"  
  
"."  
  
"Draco? You were! Are you mad!"  
  
"Hey you're the one that decided to come here, got a better idea?" -+  
  
"No."  
  
"Well c'mon let's go to the dungeons before anyone see's us." She nodded, being a prefect had its advantages, she was given a secret passage to get to classes quicker. She took Draco down the long corridors, only nearly spotted once by a pair of teenagers to busy snogging to notice them sneaking past in the shadows. They made it to the room no hassle that is until they heard fast paced steps coming their way.  
  
"Oh no-who is it?" Hermione whispered to Draco, he just grabbed her and took her into the storeroom at the back of the classroom and closed the door. He held his hand over her mouth, trying to stop the heavy panting escaping from her mouth. The footsteps came closer, and closer. Then she saw the door handle twist and turn, then she heard the lock of a key. She kept quiet as she heard the footsteps disappear down the hall.  
  
"We are safe." She said going for the door, she kept trying to turn the handle but it wouldn't open-they had been locked in. "We're locked in." She began to weep.  
  
"It's okay, relax. Snape always comes and checks early in the morning to make sure he has enough ingredients for the day." Yet Hermione couldn't stop the tears, she kept crying and crying. The tears she held back, her parents death, losing her friends, finding out someone she trusted was working for the dark side and now being stuck with no way out literally made her feel even worse. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Everything." She said. "It's just, I lost my friends, I am going to lose my job I just know it, how am I ever going to be able to prove the Ministers brother is in league with Death Eater's! Not only that, I also a few days ago saw the only man I could ever picture myself with making out with some floozy! And it's my fault my parents died, I should have never taken this case!"  
  
"I am glad you did."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It gave me hope, I mean if someone who hates me as much as you do can believe me. It gives me hope."  
  
"I don't hate you, not that much anyway." She smiled, looked up at Draco. She saw him smile at her, something she didn't think she would ever see Draco do outside of a smirk. "We may as well go to sleep. How long has it been since we have had a descents night's sleep."  
  
"For me, years."  
  
"I-I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't worry, it's not your fault. Anyway if you do win this case then I won't have to go back there ever again. Unless I kill some other useless Muggle." He laughed. Hermione was a little shocked she'd never hear him say Muggle like that before. She curled up on the ground to sleep, Draco just sat there.  
  
"Aren't you going to sleep?" "I'm just not used to sleeping without, you know being attacked for dreaming."  
  
"Well I promise you this time you won't." He uneasily went to sleep, not long after so did Hermione. They were in such a deep sleep that they didn't even notice the storeroom door opening. 


	5. The Malfoy Case final chapter

Suicide and Secrets Chapter Five Snape opened the door to find two figures lying on the ground. At first he thought they were a couple of students, who had spent last night snogging and he accidentally locked them in, but then he saw their faces, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. He definitely didn't expect this-let alone seeing them lying there together on the floor, cuddling. He watched as Draco's eyes opened, obvious shock at first at seeing himself holding Hermione then his shocked eyes met Snape's. His mouth opened and closed rapidly, this teacher had always been his favorite someone who never doubted him. Someone he could trust and confide in, yet he couldn't say anything. Luckily Hermione woke up, sensing something at first a little taken back-but then that sharp-tongued mouth of hers' went into action.  
  
"Professor Snape, I have a favor to ask you." Snape's stunned expression faded and a look of clear confusion crossed his face. "It is about a Dark Book, it has a lot of spells on the dark arts, we have a feeling someone may have stolen it while it was in Hogwarts." She stood up her figure still obviously small in comparison to Snape, he still towered over her even after two years of growing Hermione couldn't compare-but Draco now standing was almost equal in Snape's size, yet lanky considering he spent his years after Hogwarts in Azkaban.  
  
"First explain to me exactly what you want with it, and how exactly you got here." Hermione opened her mouth to start her story-but Draco started. After they each explained their side of the story, Snape stood there smiling.  
  
"I thought it would actually get out of here, Draco. England that is." He smiled again.  
  
"So you paid that man to go and free Draco?" Snape nodded. "Why?"  
  
"Because I knew he was innocent but there is no way for me to prove it. I lost the evidence."  
  
"What do you mean-lost the evidence? What evidence did you have?"  
  
"An Auror-he was guarding the grounds at the time he saw the murder of Dumbledore. He even had a Muggle device of evidence-a video tape." He looked a little solemn.  
  
"Well-where is it?"  
  
"The Auror went missing after Dumbledores death-into hiding. He was afraid- extremely afraid. He never came out-except a few weeks ago he had the courage to send me the tape he trusted me to hand it into the authorities, but I lo-lost the tape."  
  
"You what?" Hermione gasped.  
  
"Wait-was this around the same time the Auror's were here?"  
  
"Yes-it was why?"  
  
"Because they are Death Eater's."  
  
"What-when I was a Death Eater and undercover I never heard anything about them."  
  
"I did." Draco said. "Do you forget how much my father groveled also the Ministry did a good job of keeping their secret. If they got to the tape- then what about the book, the dark book?"  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"Does Hogwarts still have it-what if they stole it?"  
  
"You right, stay here I'll go check." He went past them into the storeroom, removed on of the potions and behind it led to a dark room. They followed him in there to see a book on the table. "Good it's here."  
  
"Wait a minute." Draco said walking up to it and opening the pages. "It's blank."  
  
"What that's impossible." Snape said rushing to his sides.  
  
"Someone has charmed it to look like the book." Draco said a little startled. "Well don't worry. They only have one book."  
  
"What are you talking about Malfoy!" Hermione yelled looking at him in complete shock.  
  
"Well, without both the books they won't be able to cause too much damage. They can only do a few dark spells. If they had both, and joining them together would lead them to the third book, the darkest of them all. Its dark power is all controlling no one has ever seen it before. Luckily my dad destroyed his in the fire." Draco grinned.  
  
"That's not quite true Draco." Snape said looking a little worried.  
  
"What do you mean?" Draco asked confused.  
  
"Draco-the book it can withstand fire, it can survive almost everything."  
  
"Oh Merlin, no! Then where is it?" Hermione cried.  
  
"Don't worry, the Ministry are the people that took anything remaining in the Malfoy mansion. It should be safe." Snape said then his eyes widened.  
  
"Carlos his brother is the Minister! He has access to the information." Hermione said a little more then worried.  
  
"We better leave then-just let me get something." He went back into the storeroom grabbed a few bottle then quickly followed them out. Hermione went to grab Harry's broom but Snapes grabbed her hand. "Here. Use this instead." He handed her a bottle. "Just through it on the ground, say the place you want to travel to and jump into the void." She nodded.  
  
"How about the Minister's office?"  
  
"No that would be charmed, just go outside the building and we'll make our way in." Snape said. "Draco I suggest you cover yourself with that hood of yours someone might see you."  
  
Hermione had already thrown the bottle on the ground and jumped into the void, followed quickly by Snape then Draco. They were spat outside the building to a few surprised looks from Wizarding passers by. They marched their way into the building Auror's immediately came at them, then Snape threw another potion on the ground. Everyone froze. "Quickly, let's go the potion doesn't last very long and this place is charmed. They ran as fast as they could to the Ministers office, the door was open and Carlos was just walking in. Hermione looked at him, he didn't seem to be holding the book. They went into the office as time came back and Carlos locked the door. He looked shocked as he met the gaze of Hermione, Draco and Snape.  
  
"Ah, all the better for you to join us." He smiled.  
  
"What is going on here? I demand to know!" He was cut of mid sentence as Carlos raised his wand and uttered a spell, knocking the Minister unconscious.  
  
"I didn't want him getting in my way anyway. Suppose you've come here to stop me? Well you are too late, in a matter of seconds I will have the other book and then nothing will stop me."  
  
"We will!" Hermione cried taking out her wand.  
  
"Shadow! Drain them!" Carlos cried. The shadow appeared and grabbed them, with its touch draining their energy. Hermione felt herself get weak.  
  
"Wait before you kill us-at least tell us how you did it." Draco asked looking at him. "I mean this is genius, I don't think even I could be able to something as clever as you have."  
  
"Why thank you, young Malfoy. I think I will tell you. I mean considering that you have no escape, this room is sound proof and I have already got one of the books I will tell you ask a question and I will answer it." He smiled at Draco. "You can go first."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Their was once a wizard who had two sons. He made a hobby out of collecting dark spells. The people found out about this and had him killed.. You see this was during the Christian death grip on England, so because he was a wizard, they killed him and he wasn't allowed to be buried in the cemetery. His sons went and hid his body before the people got a hold of it and buried it in an unmarked grave. They then ripped the book into three parts, taken one each and putting one in the grave. They charmed it so their two parts when joined would lead them to their fathers hidden body, they were going to wait until everything calmed down and take his body to the cemetery, before they could they died, though one of them wrote this story down in his journal. It was passed around as a story, though when I found his journal I knew it was true I spent my adult life looking for this book of spells. I discovered that your father, Draco had one piece. I told him my plans, he agreed but after the Dark Lord's second down fall he became a coward and burnt his home down hoping to destroy the book. It didn't work, and the Ministry had a hold of it. I then tortured Carlos Rio hoping he would know, seeing as his brother was the Minister. He didn't, so instead I killed him and used a potion to steal his identity hoping to get into the Minister's office and get the files on where the book was. There I found out one part was hidden in Hogwarts by an Auror who gave it to Snape to give to Dumbledore. A few days later after your father gave information on you so that he didn't go to Azkaban. Dumbledore found out about it, and wanted to try and help you, he and the old Carlo being friends he asked if he could meet him so he could get you to give him information on other Death Eater's he actually tried to save you boy. Instead I knocked you out before you met him and tortured him, trying to get information out of him he didn't give me anything so I killed him and left. It was blamed on you so I was safe, for now. But I decided to wait a while, until everything about the Dark Lord died down. Then to my luck you were released giving me an excuse to send some old friends of mine to get the book out of Hogwarts. I did, yet I had to kill them so no one else knew. Then after that I decided to go and torture the Minister until he told me where the other half was, then after that I would leave. Everyone would be looking for Carlos I would turn back into myself then go get the other half so that while their looking for Carlos they wouldn't find me."  
  
"But why kill all those other people, what about the Weasley's? Also how can you use a spell in against him." She said gesturing to the Minister.  
  
"Well this office is the only office in the entire building in which you can use magic-I found that out while being Carlos. I have the Weasley's trapped down in my cellar; I was going to use them in black mail in case you found out about me. But you weren't as fast as usual this time Hermione. I killed all those other Auror's to try and scare you off the case. But your not scared off easily-I would almost think you have a thing for Malfoy risking so much for him. Did you really think the real Carlos would give you Draco anyway, the only reason I did is because anyone else would have gone straight to the Minister, but you were so sure of yourself. I was hoping that you would give up on the case, but instead you kept going. You're a lucky man Malfoy, to have her on your side. Too bad you may be innocent but you are going to die anyway." He laughed. He moved in close that's when Hermione realized he was standing above Harry's broom.  
  
"Up!" She cried. For the first time in Hermione's life the broom listened it went straight up knocking Carlos and slamming him into the ceiling knocking him unconscious. Though the shadow still holding them because it was his last command, she looked as Snape reached into his pocket and pulled out a potion and drop it on the ground, it didn't break so he stepped on it, this strong smelling steam came out of the bottle. The shadow disappeared. "What was that stuff?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Rose extract."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Rose extract, you know from roses. It kills shadows."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"You forget I had the book, I took a look in it before I handed it over to Dumbledore, on the first page was how to create and destroy shadows. It was the only page I memorized so I decided to take some protection in case he still had his shadow. Draco, why didn't you defeat it if you knew about them?"  
  
"My Dad only told me about them, not how to defeat or create them. I wasn't allowed near the book, he used them to scare me saying he would send one on me if I ever disobeyed him." Hermione looked at the Minister, she took out her wand to try and awake him, he just starred in complete shock. Draco picked up the book and started looking threw it, suddenly he fell to the ground. It was Carlos; he was now awake with an extremely large lump on his head that was pouring blood. He was trying to get the book; instead he grabbed his wand and Hermione.  
  
"Give me the book, or your girlfriend dies!"  
  
Hermione watched frightened as Draco's face paled even more so then usual. Everyone kept quiet, Snape watched on too nervous to move. Draco began to hand the book over when someone yelled, "Arvada Kerdava!" As Carlos's body fell to the ground, it changed into a slightly younger mans body, black hair with streaks of gray, a slight tan and thin lips. They turned to see the Minister of Magic holding his wand with a bizarre look on his face. They backed away thinking he would attack them next not knowing exactly what was happening to him. "I have been sleeping, yet I heard the whole story. I will fix everything." He said looking a little pale at the body of the man lying on the ground. "In the mean time I would like it if you would please stay at Hogwarts, it seems to be the safest place at the moment. I will send you there with a letter, keep out of sight until I send for you." He said quickly scribbling on a piece of paper. "I don't know how I am going to be able to explain this."  
  
A few days later Hermione woke in Hogwarts, she slept in a small room; it was linked to Draco's as well. They were allowed to stay in linked rooms for company sake, seeing as they were strictly forbidden to leave their joining rooms, joint by a bathroom. Hermione had just finished her paper work on this case and her hand hurt a lot. Draco either slept or ate; he deserved it spending two years paying for a crime he didn't commit, Hermione liked to go in and watch him sleep, occasionally he seemed to have nightmares, Hermione didn't want to wake him up he probably never had been able to sleep in Azkaban. Instead she just stayed by him until it was over, he never found out. One day he caught her crying like she usually did when she thought he was asleep. To her surprise he didn't walk away but came up to her and grabbed her into a hug. Hermione's heart skipped a beat, yet this time she didn't ruin it by opening her mouth. They just sat there like that until Hermione went to sleep when she woke up she saw Draco sitting by her bed he didn't say anything he just smiled.  
  
"Nice to see you awake." He said a little tired. "I have a question for you though, how come you thought I was innocent?"  
  
"Something inside me felt that you were, I knew you were somehow." She said looking at him, hoping he wouldn't press any future and he didn't.  
  
"You remember what he said, Carlos or whoever that guy was, about how you risked a lot for me? Why did you do that for me?"  
  
"I would do that for anybody, or anything. In a way you could say I did it just to prove that I was right. Also after I met the child you-I knew it wasn't exactly your choice to be the way you are. Also, after seeing your memories I saw you-I saw you see murderers of people, I saw you watch them be tortured, I saw you hurt them, humiliate them but not kill them. I may hate you but two years in Azkaban is enough redemption for what you had done. I also believe that now your slate is clean-you won't do that again, will you?" He was silent as if in thought.  
  
"Well I still have a hatred for Muggle's but no where near as strong a hatred as I had. I will talk to one now without passing judgment, but doesn't mean I would talk to them in the first place unless I had to. As for Mudbloods, well they are fine by me after all one of them saved me. Although she will never know how grateful I am." He smiled at her then went to his room. When she woke up the next morning he was gone, though Snape was waiting for her a strange site to behold as you just wake up a smiling Snape that is.  
  
"I found it." He beamed.  
  
"Found what?" "The video tape, is that what you Muggles call it? I found it." He smiled at her, something she had seen him seldom do, maybe not even at all.  
  
"Where is Draco?" She asked feeling a little uncomfortable.  
  
"He left this morning. You two are allowed to leave now, he went earlier this morning."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"He said he was going to lie low for a while. Until things die down he said. I don't know where he went. All I know is he taken out some of his family's money and left. Well it is my job to update you on anything you ask." He said watching her as her eyes filled up with tears.  
  
"Well then-how did that man become Carlos? How did he fool everyone, what happened to the Weasley's?"  
  
"He used a strong potion like the Polyjuice one, his name was really Liam Smith. The Weasley's are fine they came back they want to see you, they asked if you could visit them again sometime later after everything calmed down."  
  
"So does this mean Draco's name is cleared? Everything is fine now?"  
  
"Yes, Draco's name is cleared, they are going to print a special edition in tomorrow's Daily Prophet. The Ministry has decided to start teaching children about this kind of magic, not how to do it but how to defend yourself against it."  
  
Hermione left solemnly and alone, with the children of Hogwarts crowding around her smiling laughing. She felt like there was a whole in her heart, she couldn't describe it. Maybe it was from the loss of her parents, she missed them a lot but this whole felt fixable. She went home feeling empty hearted that's when she saw a figure waiting by her door, Draco.  
  
"I came to say good bye. I am going to stay low for two years, maybe three. I came to say good-bye and thank you. For everything." He said he began to walk away.  
  
"Draco wait!" He turned around a little shocked she had called him by his first name. "You know I like to prove that I'm right. Well I have a feeling in my stomach, one that perhaps you don't want to leave, and that you don't have to!"  
  
"I really don't have much to stay for though." He said looking at her solemnly. "The only person I have is my mother and she doesn't look like she's coming for me anytime soon."  
  
"Would you be willing to stay for someone, I mean stay with them and wait with them?" She asked a little afraid of rejection. He turned around and walked away then turned back again.  
  
"I don't know it all depends really, who would this person be. Are they willing to be with me, or are they just doing this out of pity." He said looking into her eyes. Hermione couldn't answer him; she didn't know what to say. How did she feel about Draco? He nodded his head in understanding and turned away to leave.  
  
"Draco-I want to be with you. I don't know if this feeling is love, jealousy or pity. All I know is that if you leave we won't ever find out." She said looking at him begging him to stay with her eyes.  
  
"Maybe some things are better left undiscovered, I don't know if I could handle another rejection." He left down the road, Hermione went to turn back to her house, she couldn't do it. She ran down the road after Draco and grabbed him and kissed him.  
  
"Please. Stay." He looked down at her and smiled. They walked back to her house together and that is how it is, for now anyway.  
  
THE END  
  
Thank you for reading my story. If you didn't like it too bad you were stupid enough to read it all! Thank you Nian for reading it first and giving it the seal of approval. Also to my trusted dog Misty, who kept my feet warm while I typed this story. All reviews are welcome. 


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